1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an input apparatus, more particularly to an input apparatus adapted to communicate wirelessly with a portable computerized apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a conventional handheld computer keyboard system, as proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,108,200, that includes a keyboard portion 1, a cover portion 2 and an interface assembly 3. The keyboard portion 1 has a top surface 101 provided with a plurality of keys 103, and a bottom surface 102. The keyboard portion 1 further has a stabilizing leg 4 mounted retractably thereto at the bottom surface 102. The cover portion 2 is pivotally connected to the keyboard portion 1, and has an inner surface 201, and an outer surface 202 opposite to the inner surface 201. The cover portion 2 is operable so as to move from a closed position, where the inner surface 201 overlies the top surface 101 of the keyboard portion 1, to an opened position, where the cover portion 2 forms an angle with the top surface 101. The interface assembly 3 is mounted on the inner surface 201 of the cover portion 2, and includes an input/output connector 301 to be connected to an input/output port 501 of a computerized apparatus 5, such as a personal digital assistant or a mobile telephone, that is supported by the cover portion 2 when the latter is at the opened position.
Since the interface assembly 3 is mounted on the cover portion 2, and since the space between the input/output connector 301 and the inner surface 201 is fixed, the conventional keyboard system cannot be adapted for use with another computerized apparatus of a different thickness.
There is available in the art, a computer keyboard that is designed to communicate wirelessly with a computer main module. However, the computer keyboard as such is not designed to serve as an input apparatus for a personal digital assistant.
Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an input apparatus adapted to communicate wirelessly with a portable computerized apparatus.
According to the present invention, an input apparatus is adapted to communicate wirelessly with a portable computerized apparatus having top, bottom, left, right and rear portions. The top portion of the portable computerized apparatus is provided with a wireless communications device. The input apparatus comprises:
a keyboard module having front and rear ends, a bottom surface, and a top surface provided with a plurality of keys thereon;
a wireless communications unit coupled electrically to the keyboard module and adapted to establish wireless communication between the keyboard module and the wireless communications device of the portable computerized apparatus;
a computerized apparatus support member coupled to the rear end of the keyboard module and adapted to support the rear and bottom portions of the portable computerized apparatus such that the portable computerized apparatus forms an angle greater than 90 degrees with respect to the top surface of the keyboard module; and
a communications unit support member having a lower section coupled to the keyboard module and an upper section mounted with the wireless communications unit, the upper section of the communications unit support member being adapted to extend beyond the top portion of the portable computerized apparatus when the portable computerized apparatus is supported on the computerized apparatus support member so as to dispose the wireless communications unit proximate to the wireless communications device.